It's no secret that Lake makes some of the best winter cycling shoes out there, and the MXZ 303 edition certainly lives up to their lofty reputation. Featuring Pittards WR100 leather, Thinsulate insulation, and Thermasol insoles, your feet will certainly appreciate being kept dry and toasty warm no matter how inclement Mother Nature gets. If you live somewhere where snow, miserable temperatures and nasty winds are the norm in the winter months, riding outdoors will remain very much a viable option when you have a pair of these shoes in your clothing arsenal.

Ok, make no mistake, Lake 303s are serious hardcore winter riding boots. These aren't shoes, they are boots, very much in the spirit of a quality leather hiking boot. Materials are top notch, the sole is great and feels grippy with a compound that has some give to it. The Boa system is the only way to go; say no laces and velcro and hello to a perfect fit. These boots are very warm, this coming from someone who has had toes on both feet frost-bitten. I will say they are heavy and they are bigger so watch your feet on you r pedals, they take some getting used to. Regarding sizing, I wear a 45 in Specialized cycling shoes, an 11.5 in Nike running shoes and a 46 is right for me. A 45 was too small. The Boa system cinches the fit down nice and snug.

Bottom line, if you are riding in cold weather temperatures, skip the imitators and get the high quality alternative; these are the real deal.

This is my second pair. I've had my first pair since 2004 and they are still going strong, but my feet changed and i needed to go to the wide shoe, and the new Boa enclosure is nice. I use these all winter on my road rides and mtn bike rides. Just a thick pair of socks and i'm good for a few hours on the bike. Great investment since they will last for many winters to come. No fussing with covers or multiple layers of socks.

These boots will keep you warm, I use a light pair of wools socks and have been good to for 3 hours at 12 degrees. Size 45 regular was a good fit for my normal 10.5 shoe size. took one star off for the boa lace system does not like to loosen at times and seems flimsly. Otherwise and excellent shoe.

My feet get cold and for years below 30F I would have to change my clipless pedals to flats and use my hiking boots on cross and mountain bike rides. In the last few days I tested the Lakes down to 20 and 30F, feet stayed toasty warm with two socks on. I ordered a size up per recommendations on this site and others but had to return them for my true size, so if you have normal feet then the size isn't an issue. Still had plenty of room to wiggle my toes with 2 pair of wool socks on.

Maybe it's mercury poisoning from all the canned tuna fish I had to eat saving up to buy these beauties, but the moment I put them on I literally felt my feet had been wrapped in supple, bulletproof rainbows. I was a bit skeptical at first of whether these would truly be worth the money, and I even felt a subtle twinge of buyer's remorse after clicking 'buy', but the boots are definitely worth it. First, I've been wearing them for commuting on my Surly Crosscheck in Philadelphia, and have used them a bit in snow on a fat tire in temperatures ranging from 12 degrees F (windchill was much colder) up to about 42 degrees F. Even riding on the coldest, gustiest days yet my feet have felt completely comfortable. On the warmest day, I could have used my summer biking shoes but wanted to test these instead, and I didn't overheat. That being said, these are not warm weather boots. Second, they are supremely easy to clip in with. I use Time Atac MTB pedals on EVERYTHING and these boots are intuitive when it comes to clipping in. No problems there whatsoever. Third, walking around in these is intensely pleasurable. Honestly one of the most comfortable boots to walk in that I own, and my other pair is a 15 year old pair of Danner's. These are legit. Very easy to transition from outdoor to indoor, and arent slick at all on wet tile, hardwood, etc. Fourth, people WILL compliment you. The MXZ303's are so super sharp looking, I got 4 compliments on them my first day at work. Some of the best looking boots I've seen. Period. Fifth, they are secure on your foot, but also easy to slip on and off before/after commuting due to their finger loop on the back and easy mechanism of ratcheting on/off. The neoprene upper wraps around socks, scrubs, or whatever and makes a darn good seal. I wear them under rain pants if it's a downpour and haven't had wet feet yet. As for sizing, I heard they run small so whereas I normally wear a 45, I ordered these in a 46 and they fit perfectly with my Smartwool socks. Snug, but just right.

IMPRESSION: A must have for deep winter cycling. Toasty, beautiful, comfortable, strong and easy.

I live in Wisconsin and these have kept My feet warm down into the low 20s so far and only with a pair of thin insulator socks. It's been a pretty warm winter so I'll have to wait for comment I colder weather. Recent beach use on Lake Michigan, where the waves were pounding the beach, yes my feet were soaked but still warm.

Also had a very muddy off road ride that involved off the bike up extreme hills. These shoes provided excellent traction when the dreaded unclip was necessary.

Lake is a winner. Great boot at a decent price. It's not bulky like 45N and others Keeps me warm with a good pair of wool socks, maybe 2 pairs closer to zero. Only improvement would be a pullout liner.

Last pair i had lasted 10 years, still in good shape just time to replace. have not used yet live in Alaska waiting for winter, {fit good, last pair i had very warm can get -30 to -40} here reason i replace with same brand. buy this shoe you can't go wrong take my word on this best winter shoe around!

I received mixed reviews about how to size this shoe. Typically wear 44.5-45.5 and generally on the small end for cycling shoes and Nordic ski boots but on the larger end for running shoes. Ended up going with a 46 which fit perfectly. It is roomy enough for 2 socks but I was not swimming. I even did some hike a bike without excessive foot movement. I've used this boot at 25 below F. One that occasion I wore a thin liner sock, a thin vapor barrier and a regular wool sock with neoprene outer booties. One foot was cold but the other was OK. In the 0-10 below F range I wore the same socks without the booties and had warm feet.